Willing to Risk Forever
by inmyjasamfeels
Summary: Jason and Sam are expecting, but what happens when a case they are working on becomes more dangerous than they had anticipated? When difficult choices need to be made, how much will they be willing to risk?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys! So, as most of you know from twitter, the idea for this fanfic came from a thread I created about what I'd like to see happen with JaSam on GH.** (If you'd like to check it out, my twitter is inmyjasamfeels). **After seeing so much love for that thread and getting so many sweet responses,** **I asked you guys whether or not you'd be interested in me making a fanfic out of it and I was overwhelmed by all the encouragement I received. This is my first time writing a fanfic like this so I was worried about it, and truthfully, I still am. But because of all the support, I am choosing to give it a shot. So thank you to everyone who gave me the confidence I needed (you know who are). I hope you all enjoy this first chapter. It's just a start to get things set up...I promise the action will come very soon! Comments are always welcomed!**

 ***Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters, and all the rights to them belong to General Hospital***

 **xoxo-danya.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

"I promise once this is all over our lives will go back to normal" Jason reassured his wife, knowing the stress of finding who was responsible for Morgan's death was getting to her.

They just met with Dr. Kelly Lee for another checkup where Dr. Lee told them she could reveal the sex of their baby if they wanted to know. Although Sam had initially said no, Kelly left them with a note that said the gender in a sealed envelope in case they changed their mind. The note was too tempting to refuse so Jason and Sam were just about to open it when Jason got a call from Curtis, saying that they needed to meet up because he had some new information about the case.

Jason noticed Sam's annoyance when his phone rang as she let out a sigh and took a couple steps back.

Sam was never one to complain, but Jason knew her well enough to know that this situation was weighing on her, and stress wasn't good for their baby. When Jason found out Sam was pregnant he was beyond ecstatic. Of course, that turned to worry when Sam explained the possibility of their baby having malaria, but once Sam and the baby were all cleared Jason had silently swore that he would never take his family for granted, and he would protect them with his life. There was no way anyone was going to tear them apart again. He wouldn't let them.

"Jason, I'm okay. I want to find out who's responsible for that car bomb just as much as you. I know you started this search to prove Sonny's innocent, but it's more than that. Morgan was just a kid, he deserved a chance to live out his life but someone stole that away from him.

Sam suddenly got teary eyed as she continued.

"Someone stole that from Carly and Sonny…the chance to see their son live his life and find happiness.

Jason brushed away the single tear that found its way down Sam's face.

The pain of losing a child hit too close to home for both Jason and Sam. That loss is an empty space that can never be filled, no matter what. Sure, life goes on and you find ways to go on too, but reminders are constantly creeping their way into the day. Jason knew Sam was thinking about their daughter, and all he can do was comfort her. He hated that all of this brought back painful memories for her.

"I know babe, I know you want answers, but I can also see that you seem unhappy lately, maybe a little bothered?"

"I don't know what you want me to say, Jason. I told you I understand what needs to be done.

"Sam.."

Suddenly getting frustrated at his endless line of questioning, Sam snapped.

"Jason can you please just leave it alone. I really don't need this right now. You should get going, Curtis is waiting for you…"

Unable to stop herself before the words left her mouth Sam added under her breath, "Can't keep him waiting".

Jason didn't miss that last remark, but instead he decided to not comment on it because he didn't want to make things any worse. They were just so happy thinking about their baby a few minutes ago, and now the coldness in the air was palpable. He felt responsible, he had promised Sam a new life in Aurora, something he called a "new normal" for their family, and now he had to backtrack out of that promise. He honestly didn't blame Sam for getting irritated with him. She has always put up with so much for his sake and finally just when she thought things were going to be calmer, their lives got derailed once again.

Sam didn't know what was wrong with her. One minute she was annoyed, the next she was emotional, and now she was overcome with anger. It's not that she blamed Jason, she didn't. She was just tired of everything. It seemed like they couldn't even catch a break for one second anymore. Maybe it was the hormones, she knew she shouldn't have snapped like that. Jason was right, she was stressed. She felt like she was being pulled in so many different directions. Her mother was obviously falling apart, her father was allowed to roam around town freely after trying to kill her mother, the case her, Jason, and Curtis are working on seems to have more dead ends than answers, and on top of it all, she was pregnant.

Sam felt guilty for having these thoughts. She felt like she was being selfish, but was it really selfish to want some peace and happiness with her husband and kids?

"Okay I guess I'll go see what this is all about", Jason said deciding the faster he deals with this, the faster they will find the truth and be able to focus on their life together.

Sam nodded not really knowing what else to say. She felt like she may have said too much already.

Jason grabbed Sam's coat and helped her put it on.

"Thank you", Sam said.

Jason kissed her head and took her hand in his as he began to lead her out the door, but Sam pulled his arm back to stop him.

"Wait, Jason."

Jason waited for her to continue.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm not making much sense right now, and I shouldn't take it out on you…"

Jason interrupted her before she could continue.

"Sam, stop. You aren't doing anything wrong, and you have nothing to apologize for. Really it should be me saying I'm sorry. I never want to make you feel neglected, and I hope you know that no matter what I'm working on, you are still and will always be first in my life.

Jason leaned forward and rested his forehead against Sam's.

"I will always choose you."

Sam couldn't stop her eyes from filling with tears listening to Jason's words. She had no doubt about her husband's love for her.

"I know", she whispered.

Sam lifted her head and looked Jason in the eyes.

"We'll get through this, together."

"Together", Jason affirmed.

"And I'm sure I'll get emotional or testy again, especially with my hormones out of whack right now..", Sam continued.

Jason let out a small chuckle at that.

"But that doesn't mean I'm not standing by you and your choices".

"I'll make sure to take note of that", Jason joked, making Sam laugh.

"Come on, let's get going", Jason said but then suddenly remembered the envelope.

"Oh wait, what about the note?"

"Well…I think it could wait, for now", Sam said wanting to hold off until Jason and her were both free and not in a rush.

"As long as your sure…"

"I am."

"Okay, sounds good."

Jason took Sam's hand in his once again and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too", Sam smiled as they walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys! Before I get to this chapter I just want to thank you all again for being so kind and supportive. All of your tweets mean more to me than I can ever begin to express.**

 **Now, this next chapter is reminiscent of stuff that already occurred on GH, but I changed a couple of things and excluded some scenes too. The reason I did that is because I don't really think anyone cares to read an entire summarization of what already happened. Unfortunately, before I get to the good stuff these things need to be acknowledged in order to make sense of where I am going story wise. You will see that things take a turn towards the end of this chapter, where my ideas will finally start to come into play. So, I hope you guys stay patient with me and keep reading! I promise I'll make it worth it!**

 **Finally, I'd really appreciate it if you guys left me reviews here. It really helps keep me motivated when I get some feedback. What do you like, what do you not like, what are your thoughts on anything I've written, what do you want to see happen? All of this would help me since I'm fairly new at this. The more reviews I get, the more likely an update will come quicker since I'll know people are actually invested.**

 **Thank you once again! I hope you enjoy reading this next chapter!**

 **xoxo-danya.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

Jason made his way into the Metro Court restaurant where he spotted Curtis sitting at a table with some papers spread out. He seemed to be captivated by whatever he was looking at on his phone.

Truthfully, since working with Curtis, Jason couldn't deny the guys determination. It was refreshing to have someone actually put in the work without having to tell them everything to do. The only one who has been able to do that in the past had been Sam, but with her being pregnant Jason was grateful to have someone else to step in. He didn't want Sam to overwork herself. Of course, no one could replace Sam. She was the toughest and strongest person Jason knew, not to mention the best P.I. he has ever known, but Curtis was a great fill in for now.

"Hey man, you need to take a look at this right now," Curtis said once he lifted his head and spotted Jason walking towards him.

Curtis handed his phone to Jason as Jason took a seat across from him.

"Okay, what am I looking at?" Jason questioned.

"You see that dude right there?"

"Yeah the homeless man, what about him?"

"No, not him. Look at what's in his hands"

"Take out?" Jason said not really understanding the correlation to the case.

"Takeout!" Curtis exclaimed.

"Really…okay, look man. I don't have time for you to beat around the bush. What the hell are you talking about?"

Jason really wasn't in the mood to play twenty questions. He just wanted to get this all over with as soon as possible.

"Right…so look if I rewind it a bit you see that he didn't have that bag with him before he disappeared behind the van and when he reappears with it what's the first thing he does?"

"He throws it in the garage can," Jason answers watching the footage playing out in front of him.

"Exactly. So?"

"Okay, wait a minute. Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself? How do we know this guy didn't just get hungry and get some Chinese takeout and throw out his trash?"

"Jason. My man, I thought you were smarter than that. You really just want to let this go and not look into it?"

"I didn't say that. But if this turns out to be nothing but a dead end and some Chinese food…"

"I got it. You're never gonna let me live it down"

Jason smirked, "Let's go".

* * *

After Jason and Curtis searched for the Chinese takeout bag in the dumpsters they were taken back by what they found inside when they finally came up with it. It was wire cutters that were most likely used to make the bomb that killed Morgan. And the clues didn't end there. There was an address written on the bag which gave them the perfect idea of where to look next.

As if they needed any more surprises, as they approached the building's address they realized this was no Chinese restaurant. Instead, it was a pawn shop…and a pretty vacant one at that. Something about it gave Jason an eery feel. As he and Curtis entered they were met by a man behind a counter.

"Hello. Can I help you gentlemen?"

"Hey, man. Actually, yes. Me and my associate here have some questions and would appreciate it if you would help us out," Curtis responded trying not to sound too pushy.

Headed towards the counter Jason's instincts already told him that this guy knew something. It was probably best that Curtis was there to do the talking, because Jason wasn't sure he would be able to keep his cool.

"Why do I get the feeling you gentlemen aren't here looking to make an offer for one of my fine items," the man said.

"Hm…very observant. Observant enough that I think you're the type of guy that doesn't let things go unnoticed, am I right Mr…?"

"You can call me Rudge. And yes, I'd say so. But can I ask…what is it you two want, exactly?"

"Well, you see…we were hoping you'd be able to tell us if you recognize this man," Curtis said as he held up his phone to reveal the image of the homeless man with the takeout bag.

"This man was holding a bag that led us to this address, which means he was here," Jason added.

"Doesn't look familiar to me," the man replied after taking what seemed to be a really quick glance. In fact, too quick for Jason's liking.

"You hardly even looked," Jason stated.

"Well, like your friend…" The man looked to Curtis waiting for him to properly introduce himself.

"Curtis Ashford"

Jason silently questioned what the hell Curtis was thinking giving his full name out so easily like that.

"Ah, like Curtis here said earlier, I'm pretty observant, I would know in an instant if I saw that man around here."

"Well, I guess thank you for your time then," Curtis quickly interjected noticing the tension between a very suspicious Jason and Rudge.

Just as Jason and Curtis were walking out, Jason noticed a tool set that had an empty space missing the exact wire cutter that they found in the bag. It was a perfect match.

"Wait a minute." Jason stopped in his tracks with Curtis stopping right in front of him.

"Why is it that you say you never saw that man, yet this wire cutter," Jason pulled out the wire cutter and placed it in the empty pocket showing that it was an exact match. "was obviously purchased from right here, in this pawn shop."

"I'm sorry, I cannot answer that. There is no way I could keep tabs on all the items that come in and out of here, and even if I could, it's used. It may very well have come to this shop missing that piece."

"See just a few minutes ago you were raving about how observant you are and now all the sudden, you can't possibly know what's being brought into your shop." Jason took a step forward.

"I find that hard to believe. Now listen here, someone I love was killed by a bomb probably made by this wire cutter, so I'm going to need you to start talking." Jason was getting impatient.

"If you're insinuating that I am linked with some crime, you're highly mistaken. And I resent the fact that you are treating me like some criminal, when you two are the one's trying to intimate and threaten me."

Jason knew he was getting no where with this guy, so he decided to let it go, for now. He was sure this wasn't the last he'd see of Rudge. Taking a step back Jason and Curtis headed out the door, leaving Rudge shaken with worry.

Taking out his phone, Rudge quickly dialed a number.

"It seems we have a problem. Two of them actually. And they go by the names Jason Morgan and Curtis Ashford."

"Ah, I'm surprised it took Mr. Morgan this long. Luckily for us, we prepared for this", voiced a woman on the other end of the line.

"What action shall I take next?" Rudge asked.

"Mr. Morgan thinks he can bring us down. Now we will show him what his foolishness will cost him," said the woman.

* * *

It was ten o'clock at night and Sam just finished getting Danny to bed after watching two hours worth of cartoons. Any more and Sam would've lost her mind. Of course, she knew it was only going to become more of a frequent occasion with a new little one on the way. Truthfully, she wouldn't have it any other way, though. She was so elated to be expanding her family with Jason. This baby was a miracle, one that she had never let herself fantasize about, because she thought it was impossible. Losing Jason for two years taught her to never take a single moment of life for granted. That's why she always remembered to stay grateful for the things that she did have, rather than the things she didn't. Another baby with Jason was one of those things. Since her pregnancy with Danny was unfortunately met with terrible memories, she never got the chance to experience a happy pregnancy with no complications at all. This time around, things would be different.

Feeling exhausted, Sam entered her room and decided she would just go to bed. Normally, she would wait up for Jason, but she has had a long emotional day and was wiped out. Just as she laid her head down on her pillow her phone beeped signaling she had received a text message. Looking at her phone screen she saw that it was from Molly. Knowing Molly well enough to know that she wouldn't text her at this time without a good reason Sam opened the message right away.

 _Sam?_

 _Hey Molly, what's up?_

 _What are doing right now?_

The blatant disregard of the question sent a red flag in Sam's mind. Sam had a bad feeling and it was just like Molly to tactfully get to the bad news.

 _Just in bed. What's wrong?_

 _Okay, but first promise you won't get all worried. I'm sure it's no big deal._

 _Molly just tell me._

 _It's mom. There's something wrong with her, but I don't know what. I was wondering if you knew anything?_

 _I mean I did notice she's been a little distant lately but I just figured she had a lot on her mind. Did something happen?_

 _Honestly I don't know where to begin she's been so on edge…she's just not herself. I tried to talk to Kristina about it but I don't think she really thought much of it._

 _Don't worry, Mol. I'll talk to her. Hopefully tomorrow I can go see her._

 _Thanks, Sam. Sorry if I interrupted anything._

Sam let out a laugh knowing exactly what Molly was implying.

 _HAHA. FYI Jason isn't even home._

 _Lolll…oh. Well, I'll let you get back to bed then. Love you._

 _Love you too._

Sam put her phone back down on the night stand next to her. She thought about what Molly just told her. Something was definitely going on with her mom. Now knowing that she wasn't the only one that noticed, it gave her assurance that it wasn't all made up in her head. It was time to step in.

Unbeknownst to Sam, Alexis's issues were not the only problem that threatened her family. As she drifted off to sleep she was unaware that someone was surveilling her every move from across her penthouse building.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, guys! I want to apologize for taking forever to update this fanfic. Unfortunately, life gets in the way and it feels like it's been one thing after the other. I was really sick for about a week, then my brother had to have surgery, and then school came back. But finally, I finished this chapter. And it's actually a lot longer than the previous two, so I hope that makes up for the long wait! Hopefully now that my schedule is getting back to normal again, I'll have the next update much sooner than I did this time around.**

 **Once again, I want to thank you guys for all of your support. It really means a lot. And a special thank you for the reviews I've received! Reading them really made me want to get back to writing. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think!**

 **xoxo-danya.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

The next morning, Sam awoke to soft kisses being placed along her shoulder and neck.

"Mmm good morning," she said turning towards Jason.

"Good morning," Jason responded with a grin.

"Sorry I knocked out before you got home last night."

"Not as sorry as I am." Jason let his eyes roam over Sam's body.

Sam hit Jason playfully on his chest. Jason took that opportunity to pull her into a kiss. The kiss deepened, but before they could take it any further Sam pulled back.

"Wait wait wait"

"Ugh come on Sam" Jason put his head back as he sighed showing his disappointment.

"You never told me what happened with Curtis."

Jason knew there was no use in trying to get off this topic right now. Once Sam had something set in her mind it was impossible to get her to think any differently. Although it could get frustrating at times like this, her stubbornness was cute to Jason. He loved every part of her, and wouldn't want her to be any other way.

Jason went on to recap what went down the night before between he, Curtis, and Rudge.

"So you think this Rudge guy knows more than he's saying?" Sam asked.

"I know he is, it's just a matter of what."

"Or who…" Sam finished raising her eyebrows and tilting her head.

Jason smiled at her admiring how smart she was. She was always one step ahead of everyone else.

"That's true, that's a huge possibility, so now we just have to figure out where to go from here because it's obvious this guy isn't going to tell us anything else."

"Well what about the homeless man? I mean someone obviously hired him to make that bomb."

As Sam spoke the wheels in Jason's brain started turning. She had a point there. He didn't even think of that.

"I think you have a better chance at getting him to speak…if you can track him down that is," Sam finished.

"That's what I have you for," Jason smiled.

"Woww, so that's why you're with me?"

"That, among other things." Jason grinned in a suggestive tone, leaning towards her.

Sam held her hand out and got up before Jason got his chance.

"Oh, really…and just for that, I'm gonna go get breakfast started before Danny wakes up." Sam laughed, knowing that she was driving Jason crazy.

"Breakfast!? You can't even cook!" Jason called behind her, wishing for more alone time with his wife, but content with the life they had built together.

* * *

"Buzz, right?" Jason questioned.

Thanks to Sam's quick work, Jason and Curtis had gotten the information they needed about the homeless man to track him down to this homeless shelter.

"We've never met…how do you know my name?"

"That's not important right now. What is important is the information you're keeping hidden…so you need to start talking."

Buzz looked to Curtis and then back to Jason.

"Who are you people?"

"Listen man, this would be a lot easier if you just answered our questions…unless you want us to tell the police what we know about what you've been up to," Curtis interjected.

Jason knew he was bluffing, but it was just what they needed in order to get Buzz to feel intimidated enough to start talking.

"Okay, listen. I don't want no problems with anyone." Buzz put up his hands as if he were surrendering.

"Good. Let's have a seat then." Jason led the way to a table where the three of them sat down.

"Before you start denying anything, we know you were involved in the death of Morgan Corinthos, so now's your chance to tell me why I shouldn't hold you accountable."

Jason's demeanor reinforced the fact that he was not playing around, so Buzz knew he had to cooperate.

"I didn't know what I was doing, I swear."

"What do you mean?" Curtis questioned.

"I didn't know I was attaching a bomb to that car…I was told it was a tracking device. I needed the money, and he was willing to give me one hundred bucks, so I did it. When I realized what I had done after reading the papers, I couldn't believe it myself."

"So, Rudge told you to do this?"

"No, I mean, yes. But the order came from his boss…she's no joke. She was constantly calling him and wearing him down. It was pretty obvious she was calling all the shots."

"Wait a minute…back up a little. His boss is a 'she'?" Curtis looked to Jason, both of them surprised at this revelation because it eliminated any of the suspects they had in mind.

Buzz nodded his head.

"Do you know her name?"

"No, I never actually met with her. All of my dealings were with Rudge, but I gotta tell you, even that guy seemed to be afraid of her. For your own sakes, I think it would be best if you both just let this go."

"Yeah…not gonna happen. But listen, thanks for the help. I really hope you didn't leave anything out, because if you did…"

"Yeah yeah I know…you'll go to the cops. But no…I didn't leave anything out. That's all I know. Besides, something tells me your not the 'cop' kinda guy."

Jason just glared at him.

"And I just wanna say I'm sorry for my part in all of this, I was honestly blindsided myself and if I could go back in time…"

Curtis cut him off mid sentence. "It's over with, man. Now we just have to bring the people who are really responsible to justice."

* * *

Later that night, Sam decided it was time to give her mom an overdue visit. She had told Jason that it was important, but she didn't get into too much detail. Before making any assumptions she wanted to see her mom for herself. Until then, it was just speculation.

"Mom, answer the door, I see your car out front," Sam called while impatiently waiting for her Alexis to open her front door.

Just then Sam heard Alexis shuffling her way to the door, and the sound of glass shattering before she answered. Sam took in her mother's physical state and automatically knew she made the right choice by visiting her. Alexis looked flustered, her hair looked as if it hadn't been combed in days, and she looked as if she had been glued to her bed in the same pajamas for God knows how long. This was not like the Alexis everyone has come to know. Alexis had always been known to be refined and in control. Julian had obviously done a real number on her, more than anyone had come to realize…until now, that is.

"Mom are you okay…what was that glass I just heard?" Sam was visibly concerned as she pushed passed her mom without an invitation. She didn't want to give Alexis anytime to make up some excuse of why now wasn't the best time. She was determined to get to the bottom of this right now. Truthfully, Sam felt guilty that it took her this long to even make time for her mom. Maybe if she had paid a little more attention to her mom she wouldn't have spiraled out of control. Life had just gotten so busy and it seemed like it was one thing after the other and Sam got way too caught up in the drama of it all and failed to recognize what was right in front of her. Her mom was no where near okay.

"I'm fine I was just getting to the door and knocked over a glass" Alexis hurried her way to where the glass had shattered near the living room table. She tried to play it off as if it weren't a big deal, but in the inside she was nervous because she hadn't gotten a chance to put away the wine. Sam still thought their no drinking pact was valid, and she wanted to keep it that way to avoid any further questions or interrogations.

Sam followed the direction her mom walked towards and noticed it was a wine glass that broke. Looking around she then took notice to the fact that there had been several wine bottles scattered around the room, and by the looks of it they were all pretty much empty.

"Mom"

"Huh?"

Alexis was on the floor sweeping up the glass when she looked up to see where Sam was headed. She immediately sighed and closed her eyes, knowing what was about to happen next.

"Have you been drinking?" Sam picked up one of the empty wine bottles and waited for a response from her mom. She didn't get one, though.

"Mom! Look at me."

Alexis picked her head up and saw Sam's disappointment radiating out of her beautiful brown eyes. Feeling overwhelmed, Alexis could no longer keep it together, not even to fake it for a few minutes like she normally would.

"I'm…I'm sorry." Alexis suddenly broke down in tears, leaving Sam completely at a loss for words.

"I've tried really hard to keep it together, but I can't. I can't do it anymore…I can't do this anymore."

Seeing her mom in such a vulnerable state, Sam's instincts finally let up after the initial shock, and she quickly made her way to where her mom was sobbing on the floor. She wrapped her arms around her, and felt heartbroken at the state her mom was in. How could she have been so blind this whole time. It was obvious this has been going on for a long time.

"Mom, it's okay. I'm here, and I want to help you." Sam released her mom from her grasp and looked her in the eyes. She wiped away her mom's tears before having to wipe away her own tears that had fallen.

"Honey, you can't help me. Don't you see, I'm a mess. My life is a mess. I feel broken inside, and I don't even know where to begin picking up the pieces because I can't find them. I can't even see my life beyond the past few months. It's as if I'm stuck, like the shattered pieces inside of me are blocking a path that leads me to who I used to be."

Sam listened to her mom, without interrupting her. She knew her mom well enough to know that she hadn't been this open with anyone, and she wanted her to know she could always confide in her. It's not like Sam didn't understand where she was coming from. There had been so many times in her life where she had been exactly where Alexis was at the moment. Sure, the circumstances may have been different, but she knew the feeling of hopelessness and loneliness all too well. The difference between her and her mom was, Sam was used to being disappointed in life. Growing up with no one to depend on but herself, she had to learn how to push through and be strong even when her world seemed to be crumbling around her. Alexis, on the other hand, had always prided herself on the name she built for herself. She wasn't used to feeling helpless, because so much of her life had been about always being in control. That was until Julian.

"Mom, I need you to know that I'm here for you. I'm not going to leave your side, and neither is Kristina or Molly. It may seem like you have nothing right now, but that's not true. You are strong, and you will get through this."

Sam paused for a second, gearing up to ask the hard questions.

"Mom, I have to ask…you've obviously been drinking a lot tonight. Has this been going on for a lot longer? How dependent have you become on alcohol?"

Alexis was about to confess to her daughter that she had a drinking problem. The problem was, she still couldn't admit it to herself, much less Sam. She didn't need to be the cause of her pregnant daughter's stress. She thought she was doing right by her by sparing her the truth.

"Honey, alcohol isn't the problem, trust me. I just couldn't handle the stress tonight, so I indulged more than I should have. I'm sorry for breaking our pact, I just needed one night to forget…but obviously, that didn't help."

Sam wanted to believe her mom, but then again a small part of her also wanted to be cautious. If Alexis had been in over her head with drinking, would she admit it that easily? At the same time, Sam didn't want to alienate her mom, because the last thing she needed was for Alexis to feel judged and start pushing her away. It was important for Alexis to feel comfortable opening up to Sam, so for now Sam decided to act as if she believed her.

For the next hour, Sam stayed with her mom trying to get her mind off her troubles. It had been an emotional night, and Sam decided it was best to table the serious conversations that were awaiting them. At least, for one more night.

Realizing the time, Sam got up looking at her phone.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I have to get going. Jason told me he dropped Danny off at the Quartermaine's, so I have to pick him up."

"Of course, sweetheart. Don't worry about me I'm just gonna call it a night."

"Are you sure? Be honest, I can have Jason come home to stay with Danny and I can come back to spend the night here."

"Oh my gosh sweetie don't be ridiculous. I don't need a chaperone."

Noticing that Sam was unconvinced, she added, "I promise."

"Okay, but you call me if anything. I love you," Sam said as she gave her mom a kiss and hug before heading out.

"Love you too," Alexis replied before closing the door behind her daughter. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and shook her head before heading upstairs.

* * *

Sam had just reached her car when she received a text message. Thinking it was probably Jason asking if she had gotten Danny yet, she opened it right away. But what she saw instead, put her in a shaken state of shock.

 _Get your husband to back off, or have him pay the consequences._

Sam looked around into the night air that surrounded her. Who was this unknown number? Was this the person Rudge was working for? She quickly got in her car, and locked the doors. She was about to call Jason when she got another text. It was as if whoever this was read her mind…

 _And keep this to yourself. I'll know if you told him._


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, guys! I'm sorry it's been a while since my last update, but I underestimated how difficult it would be to keep up with this and go to school at the same time. This semester is the toughest one I've had by far so I've really been focused on that. Anyway, for those of you still interested in reading, thank you sooo much for your patience! I'm not giving up on this story, so I hope you don't either. I have a lot of ideas, and a good sense of where it's going, so I'm excited.**

 **I do have something IMPORTANT to note though so PLEASE READ THIS: I decided to exclude the scenes of the baby shower in this fic but it did happen! So that means Jason and Sam DO know the sex of the baby. The only reason I didn't want to write it in is because it doesn't fit the timeline I have going and I really just want to write my own stuff instead of rewriting what's already been done. So once again, Jason and Sam know what they are having but do not tell anyone just like on the show. You will see why this is important later on in the fic.**

 **Finally, thank you guys once again! I really appreciate the support! And please feel free to leave me feedback and comments here. If you are more comfortable leaving me a PM, a tweet, or even a DM, i'm okay with that too! I love hearing your thoughts about the story. I respond to every one that I get because I appreciate you taking time to write it! The more I get..the more motivated I am to update earlier!**

 **Hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

 **xoxo-danya.**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

"Sam?" Jason asked sitting next to her on the couch.

Danny was already in school, so as part of their routine Sam and Jason would drink their coffee, now tea for a pregnant Sam, and spend some time alone together before the long day ahead of them began. It was normally one of the most peaceful hours of the day, but not today. There was an unspoken tension in the air, and Sam seemed spaced out.

"Huh?" Sam said quickly snapping back into reality.

Sam had been lost in her own thoughts and Jason could tell something was up. When he came home last night she had been distant. He didn't think it was anything he had done, but now he wasn't so sure. It was like she was in her own world and wouldn't give him any clue of how to reach her. The whole night he knew she was having a hard time falling asleep because she had been tossing and turning for hours, waking him. He asked if she was okay, but Sam just blamed it on the pregnancy and the baby's kicking. But Jason knew his wife, and for her to seem so conflicted, there had to be a good reason. He just wished he didn't have to keep guessing what it was.

She hardly got any sleep the night before because she didn't know what to do. She knew what she couldn't do, but how could she keep this from her husband? Especially knowing that someone out there was threatening their lives. Maybe even keeping tabs on them. That's what the messages implied, anyway. She didn't feel safe. She wished she could just tell Jason about the text messages, but she couldn't risk anything happening to her family. She knew it would be hard to cover this up for much longer, though. Jason was already extremely suspicious and it didn't help that her emotions were written all over her face. One thing was for sure: she had to get Jason off the search for Morgan's killer.

"Where were you just now?" Jason questioned.

"What do you mean… I've been right here"

Jason gave her a look, "Come on you know what I mean. You've been out of it since last night."

Just as Sam expected, he was on to her.

"Um…"

When Sam hesitated Jason spoke, "Is it your mother?"

That question threw Sam off. She couldn't believe she had forgotten all about her emotional visit with her mom. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only problem she was faced with. She felt guilty for thinking this, but Jason just handed her a good excuse for how she's been acting.

"Yeah you know its a lot worse than I thought Jason. I know I didn't really tell you what was up before leaving to see her yesterday, but I knew she was going through something and Molly was concerned too so I had to see what it was for myself."

"Okay, so what happened, is she okay?"

"No, well yes, but no. Ever since Julian it turns out she's been drinking herself to death. Its gotten so bad, Jason. I've never seen her like that." Sam started getting emotional remembering seeing her mom so vulnerable.

Jason took a hold of her hand, seeing that she was starting to get choked up.

Sam looked down at Jason's hand intertwined with her own, and continued.

"She completely broke down. She told me how lost she feels, and it's all because of that bastard. He took something from her, and I'm just scared she doesn't think she can get it back."

"Hey," Jason wiped away a stray tear from Sam's face. "She has you. It might be a long journey, but she will find herself again. This is temporary. All that matters is that you know what you're dealing with now, and you will be there for her to lean on."

"Yeah," Sam whispered.

"And listen," Jason added.

"This is about you too. When Alexis leans on you, you need to know that you can lean on me. I'm always gonna be here for you."

Sam gave him a smile. He never failed to amaze her. She had never felt more loved, and so protected than when she was with him.

Giving him a soft kiss she said, "Thank you".

"You never need to thank me. That's what I'm here for. I just wish you believed in that."

Sam was taken back by his bluntness. "What do you mean you wish I believed that? Of course I do."

Jason couldn't help himself. He knew he should've probably let it go, but why did it always have to take so much effort on his part before she would finally open up to him.

"I don't know, Sam. Sometimes I feel like you don't. Whenever something happens that hurts you it seems like your first instinct is to hide it from me."

Sam felt guilty knowing she was currently doing exactly what Jason was accusing her of.

"It's not that Jason, I promise. Normally you'd be the first person I come to but I just don't want to add to your stress right now."

"Add to my stress? You could never 'add to my stress'. What stresses me out is that you always want to protect me, even when you obviously need support. You're my wife. You and our kids are always going to be my priority. If you're hurting, we all are. I thought we had this conversation already, so I just thought you understood that."

This couldn't get any worse. Jason flat out told Sam he didn't want her to protect him, and he was right. This definitely wasn't the first time they had this talk. But the circumstances were different this time. Whoever this person was that sent her those messages, was lethal. She knew if she would tell Jason he would do everything to protect their family, but if she was being honest with herself, that part scared her too. She had no lead on who this was or what they were capable of, and she didn't want this to cost her the love of her life. Maybe if she could just get him to back off like she was instructed, she could forget this ever happened.

"I do understand that Jason it's just…"

"What is it?"

Sam decided she had to use this moment to confront the situation about getting him to stop the search.

"Honestly Jason, it's this case, with Morgan. I know I told you that I wanted to get to the bottom of it as much as you did but…I feel like it's taking over our lives. I'm finding it hard to give you more bad news when it seems like we've been consumed in it for so long."

Jason was surprised to hear this coming from Sam. He knew it's been a topic of discussion for them in the past, but he never realized the strain it was putting on their own marriage. Here his wife was confessing that she didn't know how to come to him all because of this case. He couldn't have that. Now he had to prove to her that he meant what he said about putting her first. He wasn't just making empty promises, and it was time for that to be known.

"Babe I had no idea that was why. I'm sorry that I ever made you feel that way."

Sam's guilt was eating at her, he was so apologetic when he had no reason to be.

"I'm glad you're being honest with me now, because that's the last thing I ever wanted. I'll just explain to Sonny that I need to step back, and I'll have Curtis follow up on it for him."

"Really? Just like that?" Sam was surprised how easily, and quickly, Jason was willing to back out of it for her. It only made her feel guiltier because he was so good to her.

"Just like that," Jason assured her.

"But what about Sonny, won't he be upset?"

"Sonny knows the kind of strain his business can put on family. I mean this is a little different because it's about his son, but I'm sure he will understand. I mean, it's not like Curtis has to stop looking so I really don't see the big deal.

Sam felt so relieved. For the first time since the night before she felt like she could breathe a little. Taking that breath, she hugged Jason.

"I honestly don't know how I got so lucky to have you," Sam confessed feeling content in his arms.

"I'm the lucky one," Jason responded placing a kiss on her head.

* * *

Sam wanted to wash her face before picking Danny up for school. Her mascara was running a little from crying. It was worth it though. Somehow, the most difficult conversations always brought her and Jason closer, as if that was even possible. She was wiping the water off her face when her phone that was on the sink counter lit up with a notification.

Fear suddenly pulsed through her body seeing the same unknown number that had texted her last night. She took a deep breath before opening it.

 _Is it done?_

She stared at the screen before deciding to reply. At least she can put an end to it.

 _Yes he's dropping the case_

Unable to contain herself from asking the question that consumed her thoughts, she typed another message.

 _Who is this!?_

 _Don't worry about that. Just hope that your husband follows through. I'd hate to see what happens if he doesn't. I'll let you go now, Danny's waiting for you to pick him up at school._

"Fuck!" Sam angrily shouted low enough so that Jason wouldn't hear.

This person obviously knew everything about her life and her family. Suddenly the fear she had felt an hour ago was back. She had a bad feeling this was far from over.


End file.
